Sylvia Hurtado, Kevin Eagan, Gina Garcia, Juan Garibay, & Felisha Herrera AERA Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada April 13, 2012

Overview of Symposium Introduction to Topic Paper #1: Passing Through the Gates: Identifying and Developing Talent in Introductory STEM Courses Paper #2: Accentuating Advantage: Developing Science Identity During College Paper #3: A Model for Redefining STEM through Identity: Insights from the Educational Trajectories of Talented STEM Graduate Students Implications & Conclusions

Introduction The symbiotic connections of an ecosystem and survival of the fittest. We explore the interdependences of context, student and the role of faculty that result in talent development, while at the same time, the same elements are involved in sorting to limit the production of scientists.

Background STEM attrition in the first two years of college Low grades and un-engaging pedagogy are just some of the obstacles students encounter Success and talent Measured by grades Determined by prior achievement and study skills

Purpose To explore alternative measures of talent (beyond grades) in introductory STEM courses To determine how talent is developed and harvested within introductory STEM courses To examine how “thinking” and “acting” like a scientist contributes to success in STEM courses

Sequential, Explanatory Mixed Methods Design Collected, analyzed, and integrated both quantitative and qualitative data during the research process Quantitative data collected first; informed selection of institutional sites for qualitative data collection Data fully integrated during the analysis Quantitative data provided a broad picture of students’ engagement Qualitative data more deeply explored student views regarding their introductory classroom experience

QUANTITATIVE Data Collection Integrating Quantitative & Qualitative Results Connecting Quantitative & Qualitative Phases Qualitative Data Collection Qualitative Data Analysis QUANTITATIVE Data Analysis

Quantitative Methodology Four data sources Pre- and post-survey for students in introductory course One-time survey for faculty teaching introductory course Registrar’s data Sample 15 colleges and universities 73 introductory STEM courses 2,873 students 52% White 61% Women 42% aspired to earn a medical degree 21% aspired to earn a Ph.D. or an Ed.D. 75% reported majoring in a STEM discipline.

Quantitative Methodology Three outcome variables Final grade in introductory course Acting like a scientist (latent) Thinking like a scientist (latent) Predictor variables Demographic characteristics Pre-college preparation Experiences in introductory STEM courses Pedagogical techniques used in introductory STEM courses

Quantitative Methodology Weighted data to adjust for non-response bias Missing values analysis Confirmatory factor analysis Multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM)

Qualitative Methodology Eight sites 1 HBCU, 1HSI, 6 PWIs Two data sources Students: 41 focus groups (n = 241 students) 54% White 21% Asian/Asian America 14% African American 8% Latino 3% Native American 62% Women Faculty: 25 in-depth interviews with faculty Chemistry, biology, mathematics, & engineering

Qualitative Methodology Semi-structured interview protocol Experiences in introductory STEM courses, motivation, course structure, learning, instruction, & assessment Goals and objectives for introductory STEM courses, pedagogical approaches, structure, forms of assessment, & institutional support for teaching Emergent code development Open coded in NVivo8 Inter-rater reliability: 80-85% Re-validated coding architecture Linked codes to participant attributes

Alternative Ways to Identify Talent I like the questions they ask, so for the vert bio I'll be lecturing long and I'll ask a little question here and there that might be pointed. You know, like, “how do you think the sharks ventilate if they're not doing this buccal pumping kind of thing, cuz they don‘t have the operculum?” I'll get them to, I answer questions in class just to make sure [they're] kinda tracking me or thinking about stuff. But then the ones that I'm like, whew, you're really good, [ask], "Okay, you've told me about how they change their osmoregulation when they go from fresh water to salt water. How exactly does that happen, and how does it happen on the way back?” (Professor Veerdansky, Western Private Master’s College)

Direct Effects: Final Grade PredictorβSig Confidence in ability to learn0.06*** Composite SAT0.19*** HS Biology Grade0.15*** I felt my hard work was reflected in my grades0.14*** I considered dropping the course-0.26*** I was well-prepared for course0.09*** Self-rated time management0.13*** Changed study habits during term-0.14 Classroom Level: Professor used essay exam-0.39**

Grades Do Not Matter Yeah. I had a student…he got [a] B plus, but he would solve problems that nobody could solve. He wouldn’t be able to solve the problems that everybody could solve, but he solved the problems that no one could. Now, that was very impressive, but he didn’t do well on the exams…he actually did very well later on. (Professor Pace, Western Public Research University)

Direct Effects: Acting Like a Scientist PredictorβSig Pre-test: Acting like a scientist0.41*** Pre-test: Thinking like a scientist0.11*** Confidence in ability to learn0.16*** Course emphasizes applying concepts to new situations 0.11*** I was well-prepared for course0.06** Changed study habits during term0.04** Attended review sessions0.08*** Classroom level: Professor dispelled perceptions of competition 0.59*

Acting Like a Scientist Well, like how the labs really supplement the class, like they really make you think about the main concepts, about like how you would apply it to like real life or what you would actually do that shows this process of whatever. The really helps you kind of think about it other than just like bullet points on a piece of paper, so that really helps. (Marissa, Southeastern Private Master’s College)

Direct Effects: Thinking Like a Scientist PredictorβSig Pre-test: Acting like a scientist0.11*** Pre-test: Thinking like a scientist0.38*** Confidence in ability to learn0.22*** Course emphasizes applying concepts to new situations 0.07*** I considered dropping the course-0.04* I was well-prepared for course0.06** Race: White0.04** Attended review sessions0.10*** Classroom level: No question is too elementary0.57*

Thinking Like a Scientist Well, I took Basic Chemistry last year, and I’m taking General Chemistry, which is the next step above it, and I feel like I was really prepared for it. ‘Cuz right now I’m in Gen Chem [and] like, I already know this, yeah? Like, I guess the professor who taught me was good at what she was doing ‘cuz I already knew what I was doing and like, right now some kids are already confused about like, the stuff we learned last year. And we were supposed to know this already, but I guess they were confused because of the professor. But for me it was kind of a breeze. (Sameer, Southwestern Public Research University)

Discussion Grades useful for sorting talent but not for capturing gains in dispositions for scientific work Necessary to broaden performance criteria Change pedagogical styles to allow students to apply concepts to encourage thinking like scientist Reframe introductory STEM courses to focus on higher-order thinking rather than merely transmission of knowledge

Kevin Eagan, Sylvia Hurtado, Juan Garibay, & Felisha Herrera

Background Early commitment to STEM can have lasting effects on STEM persistence. Call to identify practices that promote stronger STEM identity given high attrition rates in STEM. Strong STEM identity: Improves STEM retention (Chang et al., 2011) Shapes trajectories within STEM disciplines (Carlone & Johnson, 2007)

Purpose To examine how students’ experiences at various time points and across institutional contexts help shape the development of students’ science identity during college.

STEM Identity Competence, Performance, & Recognition* STEM identity is a negotiated self, constantly under construction STEM identity is shaped by*^: Individual’s own assertions External ascriptions Experiences in STEM *(Carlone & Johnson, 2007) ^(Martin, 2007)

Influences on STEM Identity Early learning experiences (Tran et al., 2011) Number of high school STEM courses (Russell & Atwater, 2005) Pre-college research experiences (Tran et al., 2011) Agents Faculty & Peers (Carlone & Johnson; Martin, 2007) Parents (Tran et al, 2011) Self-efficacy (Carlone & Johnson; Hurtado et al., 2009) College Experiences Undergrad Research Programs (Hurtado et al., 2009) STEM Culture (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997)

Theoretical Frameworks Cumulative Advantage (Allison & Stewart, 1972; Cole & Cole, 1973; Merton, 1973) To examine patterns of inequality across time Accentuation Effects (Feldman & Newcomb, 1969) To acknowledge and comprehend how predispositions are accentuated during college

Quantitative Methodology Data Sources: 2004 CIRP Freshman Survey 2005 CIRP Your First College Year Survey 2008 CIRP College Senior Survey Sample: 1,133 aspiring STEM majors 137 institutions Analysis: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) MPlus Software

**CFI= 0.93, RMSEA=0.03

Direct Effects: Predicting Changes in STEM Identity STEM Identity 2004β(sig) Sex: Female-0.07 (*) Pre-college Summer Research Prog0.13 (***) Years of Biology in High School0.17 (***) College Reason: Prepare for Grad School0.37 (***) ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05

Direct Effects: Predicting Changes in STEM Identity STEM Identity 2005β(sig) STEM Identity (***) Pre-professional/departmental club0.06(*) Worked on Professor’s Research Proj0.10(**) Freq: Faculty Interaction (Office Hours ‘04/05)0.09(**) Success adjusting to college academic demands0.08(**) Self-rating: Math ability (***) Changed to Non-STEM major in ‘04/05 year-0.15(***) ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05

Direct Effects: Predicting Changes in STEM Identity STEM Identity 2008β(sig) STEM Identity (**) STEM Identity (***) Structured research program during college0.11 (***) Persisted in STEM through (***) Worked on professor’s research project0.17(***) Faculty encouragement to pursue grad school0.14(***) Institutional Selectivity-0.09(**) Self-rating: Math ability 2008 Self-rating: Math ability (***) Self-rating: Math ability (***) ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05

Indirect Effects: Predicting Changes in STEM Identity STEM Identity 2005β(sig) Sex: Female-0.05(*) Years of Biology in High School0.13(***) Pre-college Summer Research Program0.09 (***) College Reason: Prepare for Grad School0.26(***) ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05

Indirect Effects: Predicting Changes in STEM Identity STEM Identity 2008β(sig) Years of biology in high school0.04(*) Decided to pursue non-STEM major in ‘04/ (**) STEM Identity (***) Pre-college summer research program0.03(**) College Reason: Prepare for graduate school0.09(***) Freq: Faculty Interaction (office hours) ‘04/050.03(*) Success adjusting to college academic demands0.03(*) Worked on professor’s research project0.04(*) ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05

Discussion Cumulative Advantage Students who have access to stronger preparation/resources enter college w/ stronger STEM identities. These students appear more likely to continue to access in college these critical resources that further strengthen their STEM identities. Accentuation Effects Initial STEM identities are accentuated during college as students tend to participate in activities that value and nurture their STEM identities. Find peers with mutual interests Identify early opportunities for strengthening their STEM ID

Implications Importance of understanding inequality in STEM identity development Importance of early experiences: With research Support networks w/ peers and faculty Early contact with & receiving recognition from faculty Stronger high school preparation

Felisha A. Herrera Sylvia Hurtado Gina A. Garcia Josephine Gasiewski

Introduction Underrepresented Racial Minority (URM) students aspire to major in STEM at the same proportional rates as their White and Asian American peers URM students earn only 17% of STEM bachelor degrees Several scholars have utilized the construct of identity to understand students’ STEM pathways and the recruitment or alienation of URM students in STEM

Science Identity Carlone & Johnson, 2007) Competence Performance Recognition Influence of Racial, Ethnic, & Gender Identities

STEM Identity Intersectionality lens STEM Identity merged with social identities Adapted from Jones & McEwen (2000), “Multiple dimensions of identity” and Carlone & Johnson (2007), “Science Identity

Contexts & Opportunities for Recognition Structures within contexts “the patterns that characterize, facilitate and constrain groups and societies, including social norms, social roles, and the conformity pressures that individuals may experience within groups” STEM disciplines/contexts Racial/ethnic community contexts

Sel f Groups/Communities Racial/Ethnic Communities

Recognition of Talent I came from a very low-income family so the kind of resources I have available to me and throughout college and even now is very different from that of other people and that’s always been very salient to me. It’s just the different sorts of resources I had available to me and the kinds of things I reference. This taught to take full advantage of every resource that I could get my hands on. (Sophia, Latina, Epidemiology) Invisible strategies developed through perseverance despite facing structural inequities

Recognition of Racial/Ethnic Community Cultural Knowledge I was raised in a small farming community. So my family has always had the same interest in agriculture. They have farmer’s knowledge from what their parents taught them and what their parents taught them…that has a strong background in sciences (Mason, Latino, Environmental Science) Cultural knowledge: a currency students use to make meaning “When is science?” Racial/ethnic communities as contexts where science occurs

Recognition of Racial/Ethnic Community Networks My first advisor actually was pretty awful, but now I have a good advisor that’s invested in my [participation] in the things that are important to me like teaching Indian students and going to these conferences to meet other Indian people and network so I can get a job teaching and working in science with Indians (Carson, American Indian, Bioinformatics) Broad cultural networks as opportunities for interactions with diverse communities

Implications Practical Implications Acknowledging the historically oppressive contexts Highlighting significant ethnic minority figures in STEM Surfacing the historical and cultural context of STEM research Different ways of knowing used around the world Implications for Research Identity lens for a deeper understanding of URM pathways in STEM Framing of the benefits for increasing representation in STEM

Overall Conclusions Context matters Early exposure to research Prime and cultivate students’ interest in STEM early in college

Contact Info This study was made possible by the support of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH Grant Numbers 1 R01 GMO and R01 GMO , the National Science Foundation, NSF Grant Number , and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH Grant 1RC1GM This independent research and the views expressed here do not indicate endorsement by the sponsors. Papers and reports are available for download from project website: Project Faculty/Co-PIs: Sylvia Hurtado Mitchell Chang Tanya Figueroa Gina Garcia Juan Garibay Postdoctoral Scholars: Kevin Eagan Josephine Gasiewski Administrative Staff: Dominique Harrison Graduate Research Assistants: Felisha Herrera Bryce Hughes Cindy Mosqueda